Characterizing eParticipation

Abstract:The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is growing globally, as is interest in the use of digital technologies to improve citizens" participation in governance. In African countries, where ICT use remains low and where there is a democratic deficit, the nature and extent of citizens" participation via ICT is unknown. Based on a print questionnaire with 322 internet users in Uganda, this paper compares citizen-to-citizen (C2C) participation and citizen-to-government (C2G) participation, examines the factors that hinder greater C2C and C2G online participation, and explores the implications for greater eParticipation in future. For effective eParticipation, the majority of Ugandan internet users need to become more active as creators of online content, as well as conversationalists and critics. Results show that regardless of whether it is engagements among citizens or between citizens and leaders, most citizens are spectators.

Section: Background and Motivationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Citizen-to-Citizen vs. Citizen-to-Government eParticipation in Uganda: Implications for Research and Practice

Wakabi

Grönlund

2015

“…According to [1] governments seek to encourage participation in order to improve the efficiency, acceptance, and legitimacy of political processes. They identify the main stakeholders of participation as citizens, non-governmental organizations, lobbyists and pressure groups, who want to influence the political system, as well as the opinion forming processes.…”

Section: Tackling Wicked Problemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design Thinking and Participation: Lessons Learned from Three Case Studies

Glassey

Morin

Genoud³

et al. 2011

Abstract. This paper examines how design thinking and serious games approaches can be used to support participation through the analysis of three case studies. Indeed we will analyze these approaches in three different contexts: (i) a state-owned multi-utilities company; (ii) a political party; (iii) an information system strategic committee. Our analysis framework relies on the concepts of "perceived usefulness" and "perceived ease of use" and we will use it to discuss the lessons learned. Our main finding is that these approaches really contributing in making complex and abstract matters more "tangible" and thus understandable.

“…In the IS community as 'eParticipation' with concerns such as; how to accumulate needs and preference, how to ensure cohesion across processes and how to select tools and methods, how to secure interactivity and scalability and how to evaluate impact [6]. Generally resting on a focus on liberal collaborative forms of participation which could rather be defined as some form of consultation than a more direct form of democracy [7,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

One for All, All for One – Performing Citizen Driven Development of Public E-Services

Gidlund

2011

Abstract. The notion of citizen driven development of public e-services has been vivid for a number of years in eGovernment research, practice and policies. A variety of expectations are coupled with the idea of citizens participating in the development process; ranging from, roughly outlined, more efficient services (economic gain and customer satisfaction) and enhanced democracy (deliberation and empowerment). There are less conceptual analyses resting on a critical stance analysing how this notion is translated in practical settings, leaving a gap in between for practitioners to solve. This paper presents explorative work made in a Swedish authority, setting out to understand their structure, and the available methods used, in relation to the concept. The results show that besides difficulties in creating systematic work processes, what surfaces is the complex task of estimation.